Seeking a Kinder, Gentler New Jersey

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lighten up New Jersey.

That is the message from two politicians who have introduced a resolution aimed at promoting kindness and civility in the often edgy Garden State.

New Jersey Assemblymen Jon Bramnick and Gordon Johnson are encouraging residents to think twice about cutting off motorists in traffic, bumping patrons in the mall or grumbling loudly in long check-out lines.

"This state is densely populated. The roads are crowded, the supermarkets are crowded. It's easy to get frustrated," said Bramnick, a Republican. "If we can get a discussion about being nice out into the public, I think it could effect the way people interact with one another."

Bramnick and Johnson's resolution, which is waiting for a hearing by an Assembly committee says "increased courtesy and respect among residents will reduce stress and make daily tasks more enjoyable," but does not aim to legislate behavior.

"We need to have people sit down and talk to their friends about their beliefs, beyond giving a guy the middle finger on the highway," said Johnson, a Democrat.

Oh shucks, Kathleen! This is just going to totally ruin our image up here in NJ!

When property taxes decrease, auto insurance begins to drop, and gasoline prices begin to decline then I'll think about dropping my middle finger. However...summer is almost here.

I never did any of those things until i moved to NJ. I thought it was part of drivers ed here and I needed to comply.

We have the highest property taxes and auto insurance rates in the nation, but suprisingly the lowest gas prices in the nation can be found right here in our little Garden State.

We have the highest property taxes in the nation, the highest auto insurance costs in the nation (primarily because we're the auto theft capital of the US), our state budget is a monumental mess, our public school system is like that plant in "Little Shop of Horrors" ("feed me, Seymour, feed me"--but don't hold me accountable), and these two clowns [excuse me, "elected officials"] are spending their taxpayer funded legislative energies on passing a non-binding resolution that we should be nicer to each other???

Yeah, keep rearranging those deck chairs, guys. Is that a faint scraping sound I hear?

How do you really feel, Steve?

While they're at it, why don't they also draft a resolution officially changing the state bird to the middle manual digit???

I thought it already was.

Steve- I don't think it is nice to put down clowns by equating them to NJ legislators.